Falling From a Cloud
by Schuyler Lola
Summary: Companion piece to Starry, Starry Night and Orbit. Larry's thoughts on coming home from space.


**Disclaimer: **No rights to NUMB3RS for me, I'm afraid.

**A/N: **I had an irritating little idea for a one shot that just would not go away, so I locked up all my other stories for a few hours, and came out with this. Enjoy.

Call it another piece in the unofficial series I've started with _Starry, Starry Night_, _Orbit_, and now this, if you will.

Falling From a Cloud

What does one do after the fulfillment of their dreams? He sighed, turning over a rock in his hand, feeling the smooth, warm surface. There was some kind of lackluster sheen to his beloved planet, now – he had been thoroughly delighted to step back onto solid ground in the beginning, but after the debriefing by NASA…it was safe to say that he had gone to the opposite end of the spectrum. He wanted to be back out in space.

He believed that this was his form of culture shock. He was bewildered at all the changes that had happened in so short a timeframe, it seemed. There was something wearier than there had been in Charles's eyes, even as he nattered on about people, and wanting to know about what it was _like_ up in space. Larry stopped him. He couldn't find words to describe what it was like. He could tell of the things he did, the people he lived with, the things he had seen – but to describe what it was _like_, well, that was simply impossible. He found himself at a loss for words. He, who had a myriad of language at his fingertips, was drawing a blank.

He lost himself in the repetitive motion of the waves lapping onto the shore. Moving water – he was surprised that he had missed such a simple thing, one that he may not have noticed if he had stayed home. There were benefits all around to going into orbit, despite the overwhelming load of emotions that he had to sort out, now that he was back on his native planet.

Charles, Amita, Mildred. His colleagues. He would have to sit down and listen to them eventually, answering questions, and talk about what had happened while he was absent. He assumed that there had been many more FBI cases, contributing to the look in Charles's eyes…the FBI. He swallowed hard, remembering the last tie he'd managed to have a short conversation with Megan. She'd been very quiet, and he wondered what had gone on to keep her from being her more vivacious self. He didn't pry. It was far too difficult to prod an answer out of a fully trained FBI agent, when she was not in the mood to elaborate. He didn't ask, and she didn't say anything to make him believe that there was something wrong. Other than the odd silent manner, of course.

However, a rush of guilt, mixed with a desperate need to see her, had cropped up when Charles had mentioned her name. Larry did not let him continue. He didn't want to know immediately; he needed to adjust to the pure shock of being in Los Angeles, at CalSci, before he could give Megan the attention she deserved. He hadn't heard from her since he'd gotten home, and selfishly, he was glad, even if he wanted nothing more than to spend hours just talking to her – everything being simpler when megan summarized it for him. It gave him time to collect his thoughts.

He blinked at the sun, feeling the stinging, bright light attack his eyes, but not moving or shielding his face. Spending his night outdoors had been a spectacular idea. The thought of sleeping in a bed, in a house, made him cringe. Larry chuckled slightly, thinking of the canyon between his wishing to sleep in a bed in a hotel, or a house back home a few weeks ago, and his intense claustrophobia now. The way one's mind could change in such a short time was astounding, but, then again, that was human nature.

Incompleteness had been the emotion _du jour_, he had discovered, while sitting at this beach. The world seemed too small. It appeared that his severe claustrophobia was extending into the less than physical aspects of living. Again, what do you _do _after realizing your dream? Go back to work and continue on with a mundane existence?

He was undecided over that, as well. Although, the state of affairs seemed to point in that direction right now.

Shielding his eyes now, the sun having become even brighter as it rose up in the sky, he heaved another heavy sigh. His heart was too full to aid in his attempt to think rationally. _Time always heals…_and while he wasn't in any real pain, it would help cauterize the wound made by the reality of his situation. The prospect of time didn't help to make the transition easier, but he had just come back less than four days ago. Again, his expectations were higher than the reality that he was now in.

Larry closed his eyes, letting his hand drop back to the sand. Did he regret going into orbit? Of course not. He regretted having to come back. He regretted avoiding everyone who had eagerly anticipated his return back to Earth. He regretted how short the time had been. He regretted not being able to truly appreciate the experience, as he was in too much awe. But he would never regret actually going and living out there for four months. It was far too amazing to dismiss.

Footsteps were trading lightly across the sand. Somehow, he could tell it was Charles, coming to check up on him, and try to coerce some semblance of answers from him. He didn't turn his head, choosing to wait until Charles was closer. He made a mental note to ask about Megan, trying to hold onto something that wasn't space-related.

He kept watching the striking sunrise. It didn't come close to rivaling the black, star-studded beauty of where he had just been. It was hard to connect the sky he saw now and the sky he saw then.

Charles's footsteps moved closer to him. Larry allowed himself to come back to Earth.

Because that was where he belonged, like it or not.


End file.
